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William B. Smith: In the Shadow of a Prophet
Younger brother of Joseph Smith, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Church Patriarch for a time, William Smith had tumultuous yet devoted relationships with Joseph, his fellow members of the Twelve, and the LDS and RLDS (Community of Christ) churches. Walker's imposing biography examines not only William's complex life in detail, but also sheds additional light on the family dynamics of Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith, as well as the turbulent intersections between the LDS and RLDS churches. William B. In the Shadow of a Prophet is a vital contribution to Mormon history in both the LDS and RLDS traditions.
873 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2015
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November 5, 2024
Kind (as is appropriate). Awareness Creating (self and otherwise)
Unaware. A word which describes well my state prior to reading this biography. Biased. Another word which also describes what minuscule awareness I may have had.
It’s been suggested that it is well to treat generously history (and individuals within it) kindly and gently, recognizing the impossible nature of constructing an accurate account from surviving records. More generally it seems to me it is well to treat the present similarly, recognizing how challenging it is to accurately assess heart and mind and the dynamic nature of heart and mind.
The author seems to have been kind and generous to history and those within his biographical purview. The hearth and depth of his study and articulation is impressive to me. And I found his proffered professional insights appropriately modestly offered and charitable.
Aware. Less biased even open-minded and sympathetic (toward really most any person herein). Reflective. To what am I blind? Who / what does my blindness affect? What might I do to see and be different?
Why not 5 stars?
Repetition. I suppose some of it is useful if the book is read over a longer period of time, useful in the same manner a recap of previous episodes is useful if too much time elapses between episodes in a series. And certainly there are many individuals and events to keep track of.
Unaware. A word which describes well my state prior to reading this biography. Biased. Another word which also describes what minuscule awareness I may have had.
It’s been suggested that it is well to treat generously history (and individuals within it) kindly and gently, recognizing the impossible nature of constructing an accurate account from surviving records. More generally it seems to me it is well to treat the present similarly, recognizing how challenging it is to accurately assess heart and mind and the dynamic nature of heart and mind.
The author seems to have been kind and generous to history and those within his biographical purview. The hearth and depth of his study and articulation is impressive to me. And I found his proffered professional insights appropriately modestly offered and charitable.
Aware. Less biased even open-minded and sympathetic (toward really most any person herein). Reflective. To what am I blind? Who / what does my blindness affect? What might I do to see and be different?
Why not 5 stars?
Repetition. I suppose some of it is useful if the book is read over a longer period of time, useful in the same manner a recap of previous episodes is useful if too much time elapses between episodes in a series. And certainly there are many individuals and events to keep track of.
Displaying 1 of 1 review